Malcolm & Marie…and mac and cheese?

The new emotionally-raw Netflix drama is worth a watch

Maria Hickman, Arts & Culture Editor

Lights, camera, and…..action. Not quite sure about the first two, but this new Netflix film is full of action. And not the superhero type, more so the “I’m mad at you, so I’m going to yell at you” type.

The recently-released “Malcolm & Marie” follows the title characters Malcolm and Marie, played by John David Washington and Zendaya, throughout a night in their tumultuous relationship. Right after they get home from Malcolm’s hit movie premiere you can tell something is not right. This tension explodes into several different arguments that the couple has throughout the night. These arguments lead to both of the characters realizing things about themselves and their relationship. And if you clicked to see how mac and cheese is relevant to the movie, the couple’s first fight begins to boil over while Marie is boiling water for some mac and cheese (pun intended).

What intrigued me the most about the movie is how complex the couple is. They each have many different sides to them and you get to see them all throughout the duration of the movie. That’s what makes the movie so captivating. You feel the need to keep watching to see which side will be revealed next.

Zendaya and Washington have great chemistry on screen, and they both also give emotional performances. They both have experience with emotionally-complex shows and movies, so they have had some practice. Zendaya stars in the HBO Max hit show “Euphoria” where she plays a drug-addicted teen. Washington starred in the Academy Award-winning movie “BlacKkKlansman” in which his character manages to infiltrate the KKK.

Another great aspect that this movie has going for it is the fact that the entire film is in black and white. Now that may be a turn-off for you, but hear me out, it adds so much to this film. The design of the house makes the movie feel like it’s from an earlier decade, one where they still made black and white movies, yet it is set in modern times. The couple also feels like they are from an earlier time. They also spend most of the night talking (yelling really) and are barely on their phones like people in modern times. The black and white help to make the house and couple feel out of place and like what’s happening is not real, but it is.

However, the movie does have its flaws. There is a wide range of profanities used and a few scenes with some minor sexual content that some people may find uncomfortable to watch. The several arguments are another thing that may be difficult to watch after awhile.

Now time for the age-old question: should you watch this movie? The answer is yes, I would recommend it. Despite its flaws, the movie is entertaining until the very end. It will give you a different perspective on relationships and how the flaws of the people in them can contribute to their problems. And you know what, maybe this will inspire you to watch another black and white movie while eating some mac and cheese.